Page 83 of ILY
“Can’t wait to see it.”
My eyes turn back to the workers in the field, the large tree shaker and conveyor moving through the trees. We watch in silence for a long time, my mind wandering between what could be buried under my aunt’s house and what I knew of her.
And at the same time, I don’t want to believe it. It’s too fucking freaky.
“You know what? Maybe we should go early. Staying here is making me overthink.” I pull my legs off Thorne and stand up. “I’m going to go get dressed.” My eyes flit over what he’s wearing, and I wave a hand. “You should too.”
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
I snort and lean toward him. “You need to put on underwear, or else everyone is going to see your bouncing dick when you flap around the dance floor.”
His cheeks flush, and he glances down at his athletic shorts. “Right.”
“I usually am. I’ll text and see if anyone wants to meet for pre-snacks and drinks before we shake our asses all night. Oh, and you know, we can tell people we’re together.”
Thorne’s eyes meet mine. “You wanna go public with it?”
“Hell yes, I do. We’re in it now. You’ve met Michael, seen me at my literal worst, thought I was keeping a man underground in a basement, andnowthink my aunt is a serial killer. And you’vestill stuck around. Think it’s time I let everyone know that you’re mine.”
Thorne blushes, and I feel my heart in my throat. He better fucking agree, or I may cry. “Yeah, I like that idea.”
“You fucking better.”
He grins, and I lean down to kiss him softly. “Alright, I’m off to get changed. I’m gonna wear the shortest shorts that have ever shorted.”
He chuckles, and I push open the door to the house, my eyes on my phone as I trip inside. Jesus, I need new feet. Or maybe new legs. Thorne may think he’s a bad dancer, but he hasn’t seen anything yet.
I will rival even the worst.
Thorne leans in close as we make our way to the restaurant, where Thom, Robbie, and Dex are already waiting. I don’t know if Thorne can sense that I’m feeling some type of way, but he keeps in close, which makes the feeling worse. I can’t really put a name on it, and I can’t decide if it’s something I can live with long term.
It’s like good and bad and stressed and content and overwhelmed all at once. I bet the Germans or the Japanese have a name for it, I just can’t be assed to look it up right now. But whatever it is, Thorne soothes me just by keeping my hand in his. And when I tense up, he rubs his thumb over the inside of my wrist.
Is this love? It’s not butterflies in my stomach. It’s like my heart has turned into a giant sphinx moth and is trying to break out from behind my ribs. I don’t mind it though.
Or, well, I don’t mind him.
He smiles as we reach the front doors, but instead of opening it for me, he takes me by the chin and kisses me. It’s slow, soft, mostly chaste—a little hint of his delicious tongue. He hums into it before pulling back.
“You looked like you needed that.”
Oh, I fucking did. I need more than that, but the kiss will do for now. I let my fingers scrape over the shadowy beard, which has gotten longer since he’s been sleeping at my place.
I like it. I like the way he looks rugged and a little wild, even when he’s probably the most put-together person out of everyone I know. Even Robbie—with his uptight routines and inability to let himself have any chill—is more chaotic than Thorne.
I wonder if it’s a him thing or if that was trained into him.
“You okay?” he asks.
I nod. “Yep. Smashing. Wonderful. Peachyandkeen.”
He lifts a brow, and I sigh.
‘Let’s go inside,’ I sign.
He gets the door and puts his hand on the small of my back as he follows me in. I nod at the hostess, who barely looks up from her phone, and we make our way into the main room.
I spot Robbie immediately. He’s managed to snag one of the round tables in the corner of the room, and he waves us over just as Dex glances up. He nudges Thom, who bounces slightly in excitement.
